


Commencement

by firiel77



Category: Oz (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Schmoop, Some Humor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 18:35:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,890
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14002089
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firiel77/pseuds/firiel77
Summary: Toby is in law school.  Chris is definitely not.  There are ups and downs but Toby wouldn’t have it any other way.Takes place after Higher Education by drsquidlove who has “joyfully but unofficially sanctioned this project.”  If you haven't read this fic first or haven't in years go read it first.





	Commencement

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Higher Education](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/364308) by Dr. Squidlove. 



> I've stumbled onto Oz fandom late in the game and fell in love with the fics. OMG is there some good stuff. How did I miss this? Higher Education is one of my favorites so I couldn't resist adding to the story. Thank you so much drsquidlove for giving me permission to take your characters out and play in your sandbox. Lol, sorry this took so long!
> 
> Very sorry this is unbeta'd. I'm so out of touch I don't know anyone anymore. But it felt good to write something again.

Toby swore softly while he struggled with his tie the slick fabric refusing to cooperate when he tried to wrestle it into a double Windsor. He had on his new suit, the one Elise picked out him for the occasion. Toby always deferred to her when it came to formal wear. His mom loved to shop and had impeccable taste when it came to clothes. One thing she wouldn’t appreciate was the way his new jacket had been carelessly tossed on the bed the result of an impromptu make out session with Chris when they got to the bedroom earlier. Toby was sure he could shake the creases out of it before he put it on, that is if he could get his fucking collar straight. He let out another frustrated groan.

Chris leaned out of the bathroom where he’d been arranging his own clothes with the aid of the mirror.

“Need a hand?”

“Yeah, I do, actually”, Toby admitted, defeated. “Do you want to see if you can make this look right?”

“Sure.”

Chris sauntered across the room and Toby couldn’t help but admire the view. It had taken a couple weeks of cajoling but he’d finally convinced Chris to get dressed up for the evening. With Elise’s tutelage the two of them had gone through both Toby and Harrison’s closets and found something Chris would agree to. He was wearing a shirt and tie that belonged to Harrison, the tie a shade of blue that accentuated Chris’s eyes. Harrison had bought it in Italy and Toby was willing to bet it was worth more than Chris’s bike.

The dress pants and charcoal sweater belonged to Toby but they looked a hell of a lot better on Chris. His more muscular body filled them out so that every curve of his well-built shoulders, chest and ass were accentuated. They weren’t indecent but very little was left to the imagination and Toby could feel his cock responding immediately. Chris had flat out refused to consider wearing a suit but it really wasn’t necessary. He ran his eyes down Chris’s body, admiring their handiwork. The effort had been well worth it; Chris cleaned up well.

“Here. Let me see what I can do.”

“Yeah, you try. I’m all thumbs when it comes to these.”

“Your mom usually do it, Tobe?” Chris teased.

Toby sighed. “Yeah.”

Chris pressed his lips together in concentration while he pushed and pulled at the arrant tie. Toby watched him intently the whole time.

Chris had changed since they’d first met. He’d grown into himself, no longer the man/boy Toby had met in a bar, too young to be there but giving it a hell of a shot anyway. He’d been all sharp edges and attitude, cocky but quick to take offence and oh so old beyond his years.

Things hadn’t been easy at first. Nothing about Chris had been easy, or simple, or anything that Toby was remotely familiar with. He’d been a mystery, a dangerous puzzle that Toby had had to work on, had to figure out enough so he could fit him into his life. And because it had been at times hard work, it had made Toby, and their relationship, stronger for it. They had almost nothing in common but the strong attraction they’d felt for one another. In the two years they’d been together it had not lessened. If anything, it was stronger than ever.

Chris looked up at Toby and smiled.

“There. That’s pretty good now,” he said as he straightened Toby’s collar and cinched the tie a little tighter. 

“Thanks.” He leaned in and nuzzled at Chris’s jaw. Toby noticed he had helped himself to some of his cologne and smelled amazing.

“You look good enough to eat,” he told Chris, sucking gently on the tender spot below his ear. “How about we skip the ceremony and just stay here and fool around?”

Chris chuffed a pleased sound but pushed Toby away with a smile. “Save that for later tonight. You’re going to owe me.”

He picked up Toby’s jacket from the bed and helped him put it on, rearranging his collar and tie one more time before placing his lips to Toby’s for a quick kiss. Toby put has arms around Chris and pulled him closer, trying to deepen it. Chris signed relaxed into his arms and let him. They were interrupted by a loud banging on the bedroom door that makes them both jump. 

“Toby! Chris! Dad says to quit groping each other and come downstairs. It’s time to go!”

“Shut the fuck up, Angus.”

Chris snorted at Toby’s inelegant reply and opened the door for him. “Come on.”

Toby’s parents were waiting in the entryway, both dressed to the nines. Toby immediately straightened his suit jacket self- consciously and hoped his parents formality wouldn’t make Chris feel weird. Chris had gradually become less bothered with the Beecher’s affluence to the point where he just let most things slide without comment but Elise’s pearls might pushing it.

Toby’s mom beamed when she saw the two of them coming down the stairs. “Chris, you looks so handsome!” she told him, taking a moment to fuss with his collar. 

Chris ducked his head at the compliment and Toby smiled when he saw him flush. For someone who could appear so cocky, Chris had a hard time accepting a compliment, especially from Elise Beecher. She had the ability to dumbfound him.

“Thank you, Mrs. B,” he muttered.

“What about me?” Toby prompted, partly to take the spotlight off Chris.

He got a quick once over from his mom and a pat on the arm. “You look nice too dear,” she said while she looked for something in her bag. Toby couldn’t help but sigh when he saw what she’d been looking for; the camera.

“Come on boys. Let’s go outside and take a few pictures before we go.”

“I don’t think we have time,” Toby tried. 

He glanced over to his dad, who smiled and shook his head. He wasn’t going to get any support from Harrison apparently.

“Don’t be silly, Toby,” his mom chided. “It’ll only take a minute. It’s not every day we have a graduation! Why don’t you two stand at the front steps?”

Chris immediately moved to do as directed so Toby had no choice but to follow with a resigned sign. Toby hated family photo ops and had over the years made their avoidance both a challenge and an art form. He’d thought Chris would back him up but apparently not. His boyfriend had been won over by Elise’s formidable charms, the traitor.

“Chris, move in a little closer. Put your arm around Toby. Good, like that. Toby, now smile. No, not like that. A real smile. There, that’s better.” 

Harrison stood near the car and watched the proceedings with Angus beside him. His younger brother had put up fight over having to wear a suit especially when he found out Chris wasn’t. He was getting his revenge now, standing back and watching while their mother coached Toby on how to stand. The little bastard was actually smirking. Toby shot him an evil look and scowled. 

“Toby,” his mom sighed. “Pay attention. Look this way. Up a bit.”

Suddenly he had a wonderful idea. 

“Mom. I think we should get some pictures with Angus too.” 

He was pleased to see that when Angus tried to duck behind the car his dad grabbed him by the arm and stopped him. 

“I think that’s a great idea, Toby,” Harrison laughed.

“Absolutely!” Elise agreed. “Angus, come stand beside your brother. And fix your hair.”

Angus gave Toby a dark look but stood beside his brother obediently. He flinched thought when his mother put out her hand to smooth down his bangs. Toby had no doubt that if either of them had something on their chin they would gotten a spit wipe just like when they were kids. Only Chris would be spared the indignity.

Elise stepped back to resume her photo shoot but frowned when she saw Angus’s cheesy smile. “Angus. Behave yourself.”

Toby glanced to his side to see what face his brother was pulling. Angus was smiling like an angel by then but Toby did catch him making bunny ears behind his head. Toby elbowed him sharply in the ribs and was gratified to hear a surprised grunt. 

After what felt like hours Harrison said, “Okay, okay, come on everyone. We need to get moving. We don’t want to be late.”

Nobody had to be told twice. All three of them bolted for the car once given the word while Elise trailed behind storing her camera in her purse for later. Chris reached the car first, opened the door for Toby and gestured for him to get in because apparently Toby was his date for the night. 

Toby slid across the expanse of leather to the far side. Angus tried to hang back so that he got the other window seat but was easily outmaneuvered by Chris who grabbed him by the arm and wrestled him into the dreaded middle seat where he perched uncomfortably, his feet rested on the hump with his knees up to his chin.

Chris threw an arm across the seat back behind Angus’s head and rested his hand on the back of Toby’s neck tracing his fingers lightly though his hair. Toby smiled and leaned back into the touch. Chris was finally more at ease with their relationship especially within the confines of the Beecher family. Toby loved that Chris was comfortable enough to give such casual gestures of affection as holding hands or a soft caress. Of course, that didn’t mean that they always got an easy pass from Angus.

When he noticed the gesture Angus immediately started making loud smooching noises which were soon cut short by Chris straightens his elbow and sending Angus’s head snapping forward.

“Hey!”

Chris smirked and looks out the window. “Sorry Bud. My arm slipped.”

Toby’s mom looked over her shoulder and shook her head. Boys would be boys.

Toby smiles at his younger brother and ruffles his hair fondly. Oddly enough, Angus had become Toby’s first ally in “Operation Chris” the goal of which was winning his parents over to the bad boyfriend. It hadn’t been an easy sell at first but Angus had helped immeasurably. 

Being a typical self-absorbed teenager Angus’s initial reaction to Chris had been vague indifference. But the first time Chris rolled up in the driveway on his bike he was immediately elevated to hero status. And if Chris occasionally took Angus for a quick ride around the local country roads, well, Harrison and Elise weren’t going to hear about it from Toby. 

Angus accepted their being gay without a word. The fact that Chris was a high school dropout with a questionable past had made no difference. If anything it had given Chris an alluring cachet. The two of them had developed an easy friendship and were surprisingly close. The two of them would throw a football or shoot hoops for hours sometimes with Toby but more often not. Chris would play video games with Angus where Toby had never had the patience to. Angus still had the ability to annoy the ever loving shit out of him, as only a younger brother could, but his acceptance of Chris meant a lot to Toby. 

Angus’s early approval had given Chris an ally within the Beecher family and with it a little confidence in a foreign environment. Elise had been easily won over by Chris’s rapport with Angus as much as his obvious affection for Toby. Harrison Beecher had taken much longer.

Toby’s dad glanced into the back seat to make sure everyone was buckled up. His eyes paused a moment on Chris.

“Is that my tie?” 

Chris made a polite but noncommittal noise and looked out the window. Elise and Toby just smiled. Harrison sighed when it looked like he’d not get any sort of answer and put the car in gear. He’d clearly been outnumbered by the rest of the family. Chris put his hand back on Toby’s neck and this time Angus had the good grace to leave the two of them alone. 

They’d driven for probably ten minutes before Harrison glanced in the back again. “Christopher, do you feel that vibration?” 

Chris concentrated on the cars ride a minute or two, “Yeah, maybe? Back left? I can look at it tomorrow if you like,” he offered. Toby couldn’t feel a blessed thing. Chris had become the go to person for any issues mechanical for the Beecher family, to the point where, when Elise was stuck downtown with a dead battery it was Chris she called, not Harrison or Toby. 

Toby’s dad nods solemnly, “I would appreciate that very much Christopher. Thank you.”

 

They pulled into the college parking lot and found a place to park the car. Families were streaming into the auditorium dressed for a special night and Toby glanced at his watch to check the time. They were cutting it close. They got out and followed the crowd towards the entrance, Toby and Chris following behind the rest of the family. 

Toby noticed Chris nervously patting his pockets looking for his smokes and forgetting that he’s given up that particular vice along with the other ones. Toby took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Chris looked up at him and smiled wanly, but gave him a squeeze back, before letting go and wiping his sweaty palm on his thigh.

They held up in the foyer and stood facing each other while the crowd parted around them. Toby pulled Chris in for a hug. Toby could feel the tension knotting the muscles in his shoulders and back and squeezed more firmly. Chris leaned in and rested his Chin on Toby’s shoulder and let out a long sign. Toby could almost feel him willing himself to relax. After a minute Toby released him and stepped back a little so he could look Chris in the face.

“You okay? 

Chris shrugged non-committedly and rolled his neck from side to side to relieve the tension. “Sure. Just fucking awesome.”

There wasn’t a lot of enthusiasm and Toby smiled at his half-hearted attempt to reassure. The nervousness was palpable. The halls or academia would probably never be a place Chris was comfortable with. 

“Don’t worry. It’ll be fine.”

He put his hand on Chris’s arm and squeezed, waiting for Chris to meet his eyes. “I love you.”

“Yeah, me too Toby.” Chris looked around at the thinning crown, the rest of the Beecher’s noticeably absent. “Well, I guess I better…..”

“Yeah, I should find my seat,” Toby agreed. “I’ll see you after.”

Chris nodded and gave Toby one more quick hug before the two of them went their separate ways.

By the time Toby found his place there was already someone up on the stage giving a speech. Of course his seat was in the middle of a full row so he had to shuffle though, excusing himself the whole way and making everyone else stand to make room for his passing. Toby hated being that person. Once settled he opened the program he’d been handed on his way through the lobby and scanned the long list of names and sighed. This was going to take a while.

A steady stream of graduates crossed the stage as their names were called, accepting their diplomas to the polite applause of family and friends. Finally it was time for the name the Beecher’s had been waiting for. The name “Christopher Keller” was announced and Chris, wearing a cap and gown like everyone else but looking more like a dead man walking, made his way across the stage. Elise was of course ready with her camera.

Toby and his parents applauded loudly when he accepted his diploma but Angus obviously felt more was needed. He put his fingers to his mouth and let loose with an ear shattering whistle which made the crowd laugh but caused Chris to give him a murderous look and discretely extend his middle finger. Toby smiled. It was good to see the old Chris resurface once in a while. 

Toby had never been more proud in his life. As the list of names went on Toby remembered Chris starting his GED.

 

**********************************************************************

 

Toby had come home early from a cancelled evening class to find Chris sitting at the dining room table with Elise looking for all the world like he was doing homework. There were books and papers scattered across the table and Chris was hunched over a notepad and holding a pen. Toby must have made some sort of noise as he tried to process the scene because they both looked up immediately and Toby made a conscious effort to pull his gaping mouth shut. 

“Hello dear. You’re home early,” his mother offered before glancing at Chris. 

Toby followed her look and saw Chris staring back at him with an unreadable expression. Before Toby could say anything Chris stood up from the table and headed towards the front door brushing past a still stunned Toby. 

Completely lost, he looked from the books and papers forgotten on the table, to Chris storming down the hall, and back to his mom. What the hell was going on? Elise mouthed the word “go”, and gestured in the direction of his quickly disappearing boyfriend, and finally Toby could move again. He caught up with Chris at the front door where he’d stopped to put on his boots.

“Chris, stop.”

Chris looked up and said "just leave it, Toby.” 

“Why?”

“Cause I just want to go,” Chris bit out.

It was likely meant to be delivered in a warning tone but the effect was lost when Chris had to hop on one foot while wrestling with a stubborn Dayton. He finally gave up and threw his boot down before leaned back against the door with his arms crossed. Toby took the opportunity to approach him sliding the offending boot aside with his foot so that he could stand in front of Chris. 

“Hey,” he started softly. “What’s going on?” He put his hand on Chris’s forearm and waited for a reply. Chris only looked at his feet. 

“Chris. Please. Help me out here?”

Chris snorted. “You’re a smart guy Toby. I’m sure you can figure it out. What does it look like?” He glared at Toby almost daring him to laugh. 

Toby ran any number of words over in his mind. He was completely flummoxed. He’d never considered Chris doing anything remotely academic. He’d certainly never dared to suggest it. But the more he thought about it the more Toby realized something had been afoot lately. Furtive conversations between Elise and Chris that he hadn't been included in and nights Chris had gone back to his place early telling Toby he was tired.

“You’re taking a class?” Toby schooled his voice not to sound surprised or God forbid, amused. He hadn’t felt this lost and uncomfortable around Chris in a while. The old anxiety was back again with full force. Walking on eggs. Toby was afraid of saying the wrong thing, of causing offence, or that any misstep might make Chris run. Chris was watching him carefully. He nodded.

When Toby spoke next his voice was hoarse. “What kind?” 

“High school,” Chris admitted. “Doing my GED.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” His question was met with another stubborn silence. 

“Chris?” Toby prodded.

“Didn’t want to in case it didn’t work out,” Chris finally admitted grumpily, again intent on looking down at their feet.

“How is it going?” Toby asked softly, now genuinely curious.

Chris shrugged. “It’s going. Your mom is helping me with English. I never did like that shit.”

“Hey,” Toby said squeezing Chris’s arm. He waited until Chris finally looked at him. “I can help too, if you want.”

“Yeah?”

“Definitely.” Toby pulled him close for a hug. Chris finally gave up resisting and leaned into Toby and rested his head against his shoulder.

“Why, though?” Toby had to ask. It was easier when they were not face to face, when he didn’t have to see the wary look on Chris’s face. He could feel Chris shrug. 

“I figured if you were going to be a big lawyer and all that I should at least graduate from high school.” 

He pushed himself back so he could look Toby in the eye, gauging his reaction, looking for all the world like he still thought Toby might laugh at him. Nothing could have been further from the truth. 

“I used to do okay in school,” he added defensively. “When I went.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Toby assured him. 

He pulled Chris back in and rubbed his hand soothingly up and down his back. There had never been a time Toby thought Chris was dumb. Despite his early departure from school Chris had a lively intelligence and a lifetime worth of experience at the school of hard knocks. Toby finally voiced what he’d been thinking this whole time.

“I’m really proud of you.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah” Toby assured him. “I think it’s actually the ballsiest thing I’ve ever seen you do. Well, except for maybe stealing my wallet. Twice!” 

Chris snorted at that. “That wasn’t ballsy. College boy like you. Easy pickings.” 

“Hey!” Toby protested weakly. He looked at Chris and saw his smile was back and it transformed him. Toby leaned in and kissed him softly. 

Chris pulled back and looked over his shoulder to make sure Elise hadn’t followed them before returning the kiss. Emboldened, Toby reached around and grasped Chris’s ample ass with one hand and slid the other one beneath his shirt running his palm over flat stomach before flicking a peaked nipple. He leaned in and rocked his hip against Chris’s groin and smiled into his mouth when he heard a soft groan.

“Shit. Stop Toby,” Chris hissed as he gently pushed Toby back. “Your mom might hear us.”

“So? We’re adults. She knows we have sex.” 

Toby couldn’t help but laugh at Chris’s appalled look. All it took was the thought of Elise to turn him into a prude.

“I’m supposed to be doing my homework. With your mom.” He looked down at his jeans and frowned at how hard he was. 

Toby sighed and reluctantly pulled his hand out from Chris’s t-shirt before giving him another softer kiss.

“Okay. I don’t want to stand in the way of your homework. But I think you should stay here tonight.”

“Naw, Toby,” Chris shook his head. “It’s not right.”

“No one cares except you,” Toby smiled. “Why does it bother you so much?”

“It’s just weird,” Chris explained as unhelpful as ever.

“Okay,” Toby sighed. “Go finish your homework. I’m going to find something to eat. Maybe if you’re done in time we can make out for a while before you go home?”

Toby punctuated that with one last dirty kiss and a gratuitous squeeze of Chris’s still very hard cock making him groan again.

“Stop it,” Chris hissed in frustration. “You’re going to drive me crazy.” 

Toby tried to look innocent as he watched his befuddled boyfriend stomp away.

“Remember, I’ll be waiting.”

Chris turned and gave him one more sour look before heading back to the dining room, his waiting homework and Elise.

It had been a lot of work but Chris had pursued his GED with the same determination he’d used to get Toby. Like he’d told Toby at the start, once he decided he wanted something, he didn’t give up until he got it. With a force of nature like that the Beecher’s had had no choice but to go along. Elise, Harrison, Toby and even Angus had taken turns tutoring and cajoling one of the most headstrong and intractable student imaginable through to this night before them.

There had been the occasional bump in the road. Their relationship hadn’t always been smooth, but surprisingly, when Toby looked back, it hadn’t been Chris who’d made the occasional misstep. Though rough around the edges he’d been stand up from the start. Chris had kept his nose clean and stayed out of trouble with the law. No more petty theft, drugs or other crimes Toby tried not to imagine. 

Harrison Beecher had been the last holdout in accepting Chris. It seemed that no matter how little reason Chris gave Harrison to doubt him whenever the chips were down, Toby’s dad thought the worst. It pissed Toby off. 

One of the conditions Toby’s dad had set when he was unceremoniously moved home after what was later referred to as “the incident” was that there would be no more drugs. Toby and Chris had met that one without incident but it was alcohol that ultimately proved to be a stumbling block, and perhaps ironically, Toby that had let them down.

It had been Thomas’s engagement party and Chris had begged off partly because he had a bike to finish but mostly because he didn’t like most of the crowd. Toby had been slightly put out that Chris wasn’t coming but was determined to have a good time anyway. 

The last thing he remembered was toasting the engagement with an exceptionally rare single malt and then snippets of witty and convivial conversation which flowed into a boozy haze and then……………..nothing.

Toby woke in his bed early the next morning, his head pounding and his mouth feeling like something died in it. When he opened his eyes the first thing he saw was his garbage can thoughtfully placed at the side of the bed. There was a glass of water on the bedside table and he squinted at it, contemplated whether reaching for it would be too much effort. He may have let out a groan.

“Oh good. You’re still alive.” 

Toby rolled over carefully to see Chris sitting up on the other side of the bed fully clothed and leaning against the headboard. He didn’t seem particularly pleased by the fact that Toby had survived. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he hadn’t slept.

“Barely,” Toby winced. “How did I get….?”

“I came and got you. Dragged your sorry ass out of there.”

Toby tried to think back but had no recollection of seeing Chris at all. Jesus, he must have been wasted. He hadn’t been black out drunk in a while. He reached over and carefully picked up the glass of water and took a cautious sip. His mouth felt like dust but the prospect of too much water made his stomach lurch. He took another sip and put the glass down shakily. Toby cleared his throat.

“How did you know?” he asked.

“Gen called me.”

“She has your number?” Toby asked clearly befuddled.

“On your phone. Dumbass.”

Toby rubbed his face and looked down at his lap noticing for the first time that Chris had undressed him to his boxers. He recalled seeing Gen and her fiancé when he’d first arrived but nothing later. He certainly didn’t recall her taking his phone at any point.

“Shit.”

Chris looked at him balefully. “You’re telling me. Your old man tore me a new one when I brought you in.”

Toby winced. “Why? What did he say?” he asked not sure he wanted to find out.

“Oh you know, he had a few points. That he’d fucking always known it was a bad idea that we were together. And then that part of being in a relationship was looking after each other.” Chris’s eyes flashed with equal parts anger and hurt. “Fuck! As if I’d ever let something happen to you Toby!”

“You weren’t even there.”

“You’re fucking right I wasn’t. But fucking tell him that. He wouldn’t listen to a thing I said.”

“I’m sorry.” Toby reached for Chris’s hand, his fingers still clenched angrily, and was relieved when he didn’t pull it away. He could see why Chris would be pissed. Any small gain in acceptance by Harrison had been hard won and Toby knew that being blamed for something he had nothing to do with would have pricked at Chris’s pride.

“Sorry. I’ll talk to him,” Toby promised although at the moment it was the last thing he felt like doing. “I’ll glad you stayed,” he added softly.

As angry as Chris was it was a measure of how far they’d come that Chris hadn’t told Harrison to go fuck himself and stormed off leaving Toby face down in the driveway. 

Chris snorted. “Someone had to make sure you didn’t choke on your vomit.”

Toby pulled himself up so that he was leaning on the headboard beside Chris and his stomach gave another lurch. 

“Thanks.”

Toby shut his eyes in the hopes it would stop the room from spinning.

“So what the fuck happened?”

Toby rubbed his face. “I don’t know. I guess I drank too much.”

“Do ya think?” Chris shook his head. “Fuck, Toby. I had to fireman carry you out. Gen almost called a fucking ambulance before I got there. You’re lucky Jim talked her out of it. ”

Toby cringed inside. That would have been ever better. His dad coming to retrieve him from the hospital. That would be almost as good as jail. He thanked all things holy that Gen had called Chris rather than his parents or, God forbid, 911.

He looked over at Chris and saw he was still watching him, obviously waiting for some sort of an explanation. Toby let out a long breath. It wasn’t easy to put into words. The comforting warmth of the alcohol when it hit his stomach and the feeling that having another one, and then another would feel even better. 

“I don’t know,” Toby offered lamely. 

Another glance at Chris told him that he wasn’t buying any of it. He wasn’t going to accept anything but the truth. And after what Toby had put him through with his dad, it was the least that Toby owed him. He stared at their intertwined fingers for a moment while he collected his thoughts. Finally he let out a long breath and started.

“It’s just that everyone was there and congratulating Thomas about being engaged. And Gen and James were there and they’re engaged too.”

“So what, Toby? Are you sad that you’re not engaged too?” Chris almost sneered and Toby felt anger flicker. 

Toby continued. “And everyone was asking me if I was seeing anyone or if I had a girlfriend.” He sounded lame even to himself. He wasn’t even sure what his point was.

“So why don’t you get one,” Chris snapped. He pulled his hand out of Toby’s grasp.

Oh for fuck sake Toby thought. He was feeling way too crappy to be dealing with this. 

“Because I don’t fucking want one, you asshole. All I want is to be with you!” he spat out. He was horrified at how close to tears he’d suddenly become.

Chris glared at him. “I thought it didn’t matter to you. That it was okay if we weren’t out. You told me it didn’t matter.”

“Yeah. Well maybe it does,” Toby admitted with a sniff. 

The silence after that one stretched on and on and Toby thought that he’d finally done it. He’d pushed and pushed and now he’d finally demanded too much and driven Chris away. He’d thrown Chris into his family despite how uncomfortable the Beecher’s had made him. He’d told his parent they were lovers and horrified Chris again. Now he was wanting, no practically begging, Chris to come out to his friends. Toby would be the first to admit that no good could come of it. Someone would say something rude. Chris would take offence at the slight and react. Toby flashed back to bleeding knuckles and split lips in the rain.

Finally Chris spoke. 

“You can tell them if you want,” Chris told him softly. He was chewing on his thumbnail.

“What?”

Chris looked over at him and sighed. “You can tell them if you want. If it’s that important to you. I don’t care.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I love you Toby. I want to be with you too.” He didn’t seem particularly enthused about the prospect. “But it’s hard. You know?”

Toby pulled Chris’s hand down and held it. “I know. Don’t you thing I worry too? What people might say?” 

Chris frowned at him as if he couldn’t under how stupid he sounded. “Might say?” he bit out. “More like will say.”

Toby made to object but Chris wasn’t finished yet. “Where I grew up if people thought you were gay you got the shit kicked out of you. Period. The end. Fuck, Toby. You didn’t fucking tell anyone. It was self-preservation. My dad nearly killed me when he caught me just fooling around with a friend. And then he threw me out and told me he never wanted to see my faggot ass again.”

“My friends aren’t like that,” Toby told him even though he wasn’t entirely sure it was true. “And you know my family isn’t. Anyway, you know there’s nothing wrong with being gay.”

They’d talked about it a little and Chris was coming around to accept that what he and Toby were doing was pretty gay. The fact that Harrison and Elise had accepted him as their son’s lover without any outward hesitation had helped. It didn’t mean though that Chris would ever react well to being confronted about it. When his back was against the wall his first reaction was to fight.

“If any of those pricks say anything I’ll beat the shit out of them,” he grumbled ominously.

That was exactly what Toby was afraid of but he was willing to be magnanimous with his win. He brought Chris’s hand up to his lips and kissed it. 

“Just don’t kill anyone.”

Chris snorted. “I’m not makin any promises.”

Toby leaned over and rested his head on Chris’s shoulder taking comfort in his warm bulk. As tough as he appeared outwardly and as threatening as he could be Toby held no fear of Chris. He was past that. Chris lifted up his arm and Toby adjusted himself even closer allowing Chris to drape his arm around his shoulders.

“So, if I do this for you,” Chris started. “Then you need to quit getting so wasted. Your dad is worried about you.”

Toby let out a long sigh. He hated upsetting his parents. He’d been doing pretty well the last while. He hadn’t gone off the rails like last night in a long time. He’d cut down on his drinking significantly since he’d met Chris. 

“It’s not like I plan on doing it. It’s just that once I start it’s hard to know when to stop.”

“So don’t start,” Chris told him as if it were the simplest thing in the world. He made it seem so easy.

“Everyone drinks at college though,” Toby tried to justify. “If I don’t join in I’ll look like some kind of a loser.”

Chris actually laughed. “You mean to tell me don’t care if your friends know you are fucking a guy but you’re worried about what they’ll say if you don’t drink?”

When Toby didn’t answer he gave him a shake. “Seriously?”

It did sound pretty stupid when Chris put it that way. They might side eye him a little for not joining in but it was probably time he grew up a bit. Gen would certainly think better of him. She’d always been unhappy with how he behaved when he was drinking.

“I guess,” he said noncommittally. 

“I’ll tell you what Toby,” Chris told him. “I won’t drink either. If we go out with your stupid friends we can “not drink” together.”

Toby felt warm inside. “You’d do that?”

“Sure. I don’t need to drink. My father was a drunk. He could never hold a job for long. He beat up my mom so many times she finally left him. He used to drive drunk. It’s a wonder he never killed anyone. It can totally fuck up your life. I don’t ever want that to be you. Or me.”

“Thanks,” was all Toby could think of to say. 

He’d do it for Chris. He’d made Chris do so many things outside his comfort level so that they could be together that it was the least he could do in return. 

“I love you.”

Chris pulled him tight. “I love you to.”

Toby yawned, suddenly aware of how tired he still was. He had no idea what time it was other than “barely light”. 

“Tired?”

All Toby could do was nod and even that was really too much effort. Chris slid down the headboard until he was lying on his back and pulled Toby down with him. Toby rolled into him and rested his head on Chris’s chest listening to the slow steady pounding of his heart. Chris brought his hand up and ran his fingers gently through the hair above Toby’s ear soothing him back to sleep. 

“Let’s get a couple more hours sleep,” he said. “And then you can go explain things to your dad.” 

Toby groaned.

 

The next hiccup with Harrison Beecher had been maybe a year later and Angus was the one to thank for that one. Toby and Chris had come by the house Friday after school to grab a few things before holing up at Chris’s apartment for the weekend. 

Harrison had grudgingly agreed to let Toby spend weekends there as long as his grades didn’t suffer. It had been about bloody time. Between Chris not wanting to have sex in Toby’s room with anyone home and Toby’s fear of being caught fucking in the car their sex life had been frustrating although admittedly hot when it did happen.

That night it sounded like they’d walked into world war three. There was some serious discussion going on in the study judging by the raised voices audible from the front door. Toby was torn between eavesdropping on the conversation and bolting up to his room, grabbing his stuff and getting the hell out of there because Harrison Beecher sounded supremely pissed off.

“Angus. I hope you have an explanation for this. A one week suspension?”

“It’s not a big deal.”

“It most certainly is a big deal, young man! You are lucky weren’t expelled. Skipping classes to smoke marijuana behind the gym! Your school has a zero drug policy!”

“Everyone smokes weed dad,” Toby heard his brother say in a tone he knew could make Harrison’s head explode. 

Angus was showing a level of bad-assery Toby would never have contemplated at his age. Toby was almost impressed.

“No, Angus. Everyone most certainly does not smoke weed. And you won’t be any more either. In fact you will not be doing much of anything anymore. You are grounded. And that starts with this weekend.”

“Dad!” Angus objected. “I’m supposed to the Bruins game with Travis.”

“Well you’re not. All you will be doing for the coming week is staying home and studying. You need to get your grades back up where they should be.”

“Fuck you!” Angus spat out. “You can’t do that!”

“Angus! Language!” It was the first Toby realized his mom was in the study too. He heard Chris make a disapproving sound beside him. 

“I most certainly can, Angus. That is enough. Do not speak like that again. Go to your room!” Harrison bellowed. Normally calm even when under stress clearly his youngest son had got the best of him for the moment.

“School is so lame. You can’t make me study! And you can’t make me stay here!”

“Angus! Wait. Where are you going?” Elise gasped. 

“Out! I’m not staying around here! “ 

Angus came barreling out of the study with his father in hot pursuit only to find Toby and Chris standing there stunned. Angus checked himself before he ran into them and then angled towards the still open front door. Harrison scowled at Chris and Toby.

“I hope neither of you had anything to do with this,” he warned.

Harrison may have included them both in the statement but he was looking directly at Chris and Toby immediately saw red. He was opening his mouth to object strenuously but Elise beat him to it.

“Harrison!”

Toby looked at his mom as she emerged from the study and he saw that she had been crying. He felt like grabbing his younger brother and shaking him for upsetting his mom like that.

“For fuck sake, dad,” Angus jumped in. “I didn’t get it from them. I’m in grade nine. We can get weed anywhere."

Toby was mildly shocked at that revelation but relieved that it took the heat off Chris and himself. With his dad in the state he was in, Toby couldn’t help but feel guilty even though he hadn’t done anything. He looked at his boyfriend fearing how he’d react to the accusation. Chris was glaring at Harrison, his jaw clenched, but he was standing his ground. 

Harrison looked at the two of them and then at his wife and realized he was out of line. He let out a sigh. Angus took the opportunity to storm out the front door slamming it behind him. Toby could hear his mother crying softly. Harrison turned back to Chris.

“I’m sorry, Chris. That was uncalled for.”

Chris let out a long breath and nodded. He was the first one to reach Elise and gave her a hug. 

“I’ll find him. Don’t worry,” he assured her. “I’ll talk to him.”

Chris followed Angus out the front door and it was so quiet they could hear his bike start and then drive away. 

He never did tell Toby what he’d talked to Angus about but whatever it was it had helped. They came back a couple hours later and though unapologetic Angus did stay home. Things were tense between Harrison and his younger son for some time but gradually improved. For his part Angus kept his nose clean and eventually managed to turn things around at school. Toby liked to think Chris told him a little about his own life and what it was like to drop out of school and be on your own too young. Chris would admit to nothing.

**********************************************************

When the last name was called and the ceremony concluded Toby and his family stood and made their way slowly out of the auditorium. The foyer was choked with families waiting for their grads to return from the dressing rooms. Toby scanned the crowd for Chris and put up his hand when he saw him working his way through the crowd. 

“Chris!” he called out. “Over here!”

Chris heard him and altered his course slightly so that he met up with the four Beecher’s near the front entrance. He no longer wore his gown but had his cap tucked under his arm rather than on his head. He looked hot and worn out by the proceedings and Toby felt for him when he saw his hopeful glance towards the exit.

He looked so eager to make his escape Toby almost laughed but unfortunately he wasn’t quite done yet. The Beecher clan was standing between Chris and freedom. He pulled up when he reached them and smiled and it hit Toby all over again how crazy he was about this man.

Harrison Beecher went first, extending his hand for Chris to shake. Chris took it immediately but Toby’s dad didn’t stop there. He used his arm to pull Chris closer and wrapped his arms around him for a heartfelt hug. Chris went with it and hugged Harrison back. He received several hardy congratulatory pats on the back before finally being released.

Harrison smiled. “Congratulations, Christopher. Well done.”

“Thank you, sir,” Chris told him, looking him in the eye, his chin up. 

So much had changed since their first meeting. Chris, the boy from the wrong side of town with a criminal past, the one exposing his son to drugs, getting him arrested and turning him gay. It meant a lot to Toby that he could see Chris basking in well-deserved praise. It had taken time and been hard work but Chris had finally succeeded in winning Harrison Beecher over.

Elise was the next one up. She stood there with handkerchief clutched in her hand no longer making any attempt to control her emotions. Elise sniffed a couple times and dabbed at her eyes before smiling at Chris and taking his hand.

“Chris, I’m so proud of you,” she told him. “Come here and give me a hug.”

Chris didn’t hesitate to pull her in and Toby had to smile at how he dwarfed his petite mother. Chris leaned down and rested his head on Elise’s shoulder and she ruffled her hand over his close cropped hair. 

This was what a family was supposed to be like. Dad’s laid down the law and pushed you to be better but they loved you and helped you when you needed it. They didn’t beat you up when they felt like it or throw you out when you were just a kid so you had to live on the street. And mom’s loved you unconditionally and supported you in whatever you decided to do. They didn’t disappear when the going got tough and leave you behind. 

Toby sometimes wondered how Chris would have turned out if he’d had a better childhood but it was pointless. All the things that Chris had had to endure had made him what he was. And what he was, rough edges and all, was what Toby loved. If Chris had grown up normally in a regular family he may have stayed in Maryland and they may have never met. That was something Toby did not ever want to contemplate.

Angus, bless him, when his time came gave Chris an awkward, “Hey”, accompanied by a fist bump and then it was Toby’s turn.

Toby was suddenly shy. He felt like he should say something significant but didn’t know what.

“Hey, you did it.”

“Yeah, I did,” Chris nodded solemnly. “Surprise.”

“Feel good?”

Chris shrugged. “I guess. Least I’m not a dropout anymore.”

Toby grabbed his shoulder. “You know I didn’t care.”

“Yeah,” Chris agreed. “But I did.”

Toby pulled Chris into a hug which Chris returned easily despite the milling crowd. It struck Toby that Chris was a part of their family now. Occasionally when he was low Toby would think that he’d failed his parents in a way. He would worry that they’d rather he marry a pretty girl and produce grand kids but honestly he’d never seen any evidence of that. They had seen that Chris was good for Toby and even commented on it. Toby could be himself with Chris in a way he never could with Genevieve. There were no more drugs or drinking and without really trying Toby had found himself at the top of his class. Hell, maybe Chris had been an inspiration there too.

Harrison put his hand on Toby’s shoulder. “Okay boys, let’s go get some dinner. I’m buying!”

Toby sighed. If he’d had his way they’d be dropped off at the apartment so he could make good on his promise to Chris. He'd sworn that if Chris went to his graduation ceremony they would have a marathon sex session afterwards. Unfortunately it looked like it would need to be postponed a little.

“Where to?” Toby asked as they followed parents out to the car. He’d stayed out of the party planning other than making sure the star of the show attended.

“I was thinking we’d go the Chop House.” It was a steak house Toby knew was expensive. He hardly ever went there. It wasn’t somewhere the student crowd really frequented.

“Right on,” said Angus, making Toby wonder why the hell he knew so much about it. Clearly Toby was missing out on some family dining experiences by not being home.

“I can buy my own dinner,” Chris objected quietly. “I can afford it.”

“I know you can,” Toby shrugged. “So can I. Anyway, Gen and James are coming too.” Toby smiled broadly, “Even rich kids like getting free meals.”

Chris shook his head but then eased up and smiled back at Toby. “Okay, but when we’re done I’m taking you back to my place and fucking you through the mattress.”

“Absolutely,” Toby assured him. He could hardly wait.

Dinner was fine except that the waitress flirted so with Chris much that Toby had finally put his arm around him glare at the poor girl much to everyone else’s amusement. When she’d blushed and excused herself Chris had smiled apologetically and put his hand on Toby’s thigh to reassure him he was only trying to be polite.

Once they were back in the car finally heading to Chris’s apartment Toby got a sense that something was afoot in the front seat. Harrison and Elise were throwing meaningful glances back and forth and glancing occasionally towards them in the back. Angus was oblivious, slouched back in his corner of the back seat with eyes shut no doubt struggling to digest about five pounds of prime rib. On the other hand, Chris on the other side was uncharacteristically fidgety. Something was definitely going on.

Finally Elise got started. “You know, I was looking into motorcycle mechanic programs at the community college the other day, Chris.”

Toby looked up incredulous. This was a new level of meddling he didn’t realize his mother was capable of. He braced himself for Chris becoming offended.

“Mom.” 

Harrison weighted in. “One of our paralegals is married to a guy who did that. He’s making really good money. Have you thought about doing something like that Chris?”

Toby turned and looked nervously at Chris. He was expecting his boyfriend to reject the idea outright. It was bad enough that his parents controlled his life but to try to run Chris’s as well was too much. Toby was prepared to be offended for him. Chris though was taking it surprisingly well. Instead of the expected angry, sullen look there was thoughtfulness. 

“I don’t have the money to go to school.” 

Harrison gave Elise another look. Mercifully he turned his attention back to the road while she looked back at Chris and continued. “We know that Chris. We’d like to help you.”

It was only because they were pressed together that Toby felt Chris stiffen momentarily just for a second and then it was gone. Toby twined their fingers together on his lap and felt Chris exhale slowly and relax. He was expecting outright rejection of the offer a prideful declaration that he wasn’t a charity but Chris remained silent.

“I can’t …..” Chris finally started talking.

Before Chris could say any more Harrison put up his hand. “Wait. Before you object, Chris. It can be a loan.” 

Chris eyed him suspiciously. “A loan.”

“Absolutely. Once you are finished your training and get a job you can pay us back.”

“I’d want it written up. Legal and everything,” Chris insisted.

“I'm sure I can find someone to do that,” Harrison assured him with a smile.

Seeing an opening, Elise jumped in. “And we can help you with student loan applications if you like.”

“I’d still need to work though too,” Chris the realist. “I don’t have any money saved. I’d still need to pay for my apartment.”

Chris was proud of his apartment. When Toby found out what Chris was being paid at the shop he’d been appalled. He’d helped Chris prepare a speech to give his boss telling him he was the best mechanic there and demanding a raise. His boss had agreed without argument and given him an additional $ 5.00 an hour making it feasible for Chris to find his own place. 

The day Toby had helped Chris move his meager belonging out of the dive he’d lived while Grady watched suspiciously had been the best. Unfortunately they’d forbidden Toby to move in because they still felt he needed some supervisor. They were still holding the purse string so Toby had no choice but to go along. It had been only fight since he’d moved back. 

They’d reached a compromise in that Toby could stay at Chris’s on weekends as long as the two of them showed up for Sunday dinner. Toby stayed home during the week which wasn’t a hardship because Chris was there most of the time anyway. The one downside was the sex. Chris had established limits to what was okay at the house and they drove Toby crazy. Making out, okay. A blowjob or hand job, okay so long as they were quiet. Actual sex, not okay. 

Harrison and Elise, looked at each other again and Harrison continued. 

“Actually we’ve been talking and we think that if you are going to go to college you should move out here too Chris. Toby is going to be putting in long hours with law school. You’d be able to spend more time together if you both lived here.”

Toby was dumbfounded. He couldn’t imagine the two of them in his room. There was no way in hell Chris would agree to that. They obviously didn’t realize the extent of Chris’s phobia over having sex when they were anywhere around. Nor could Toby fathom two years of abstinence. Absolutely no way there. Fortunately Elise seemed to have a plan.

“Toby, you know Louis, our gardener?”

“Yeah,” he nodded baffled where this was going.

“Well he’s bought a house in town now that he’s getting married so the carriage house will be empty next month. We thought Chris could move in there.” She turned back to Chris and smiled, “It’s totally self-contained but you’d always be welcome in the house for meals.” 

Harrison looked at his son. “And before you ask, Toby, we’d be fine with you moving out there too. So long as you follow the rules.” 

Toby fumed quietly about being reminded yet again about the rules. His parents have given him everything he needed, every opportunity with money and school but he paid for it in other ways. The leash was quite tight.

“Yes,” Elise agreed. “We thought it would give you some privacy, you know. We wouldn’t be able to hear you so well.”

“Yes, Mom,” Toby hissed. “I get it.”

Angus came back to life briefly with a long groan before muttering “Mom! My ears,” and Toby became convinced that is was altogether possible for a mother to embarrass someone to death.

Toby glanced nervously at Chris who was looking at Elise with a deer in the headlights look as a blush crept further and further up his face. Toby tightened his grip on his boyfriends hand in case he should decide to open the door and throw himself out.

Toby cast a pleading look back to his mom not to elaborate any more. He had no idea how Chris would take the revelation that their not so stealthy times in his room had had an audience after all. Toby turned back to Chris when he realized his whole body was shaking alarmed that he’d been overcome with some sort of a seizure. Instead Chris was staring fixedly out the window his teeth biting into his lower lip to muffle bubbling laughter. 

Toby leaned his head against him and snorted while Chris continued to shake uncontrollably. Relief washed over him as he struggled to control his nervous giggles. Each time he thought he’d regained his composure he would recall Chris’s mortified expression and another snort would escape in turn causing Chris to shake even harder.

“You okay back there?” Harrison asked, glancing up into the rear view mirror. 

Toby took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his cheeks. “Yeah, sorry,” he managed to get out before being overcome once more.

Elise eyed them nervously. “Well, you don’t have to decide tonight,” she assured them. 

Finally, Chris calmed himself enough to choke out an answer. “Yeah. Thanks. Me and Toby will talk about it all and let you know. Okay?”

Toby dared not look at Chris again least he break down once more but he squeezed his hand reassuringly. Mercifully they arrived at their destination a few minutes later and the two of them were able to make their escape still battling to keep their laugher in check.

The two of them stood on the sidewalk watching the car pull away and Toby shook his head and then burst out laughing again.

“The look on your face,” he snickered, shaking his head.

“Asshole,” Chris scowled at him. “Jesus Christ. That was fucking embarrassing.” 

“You’re telling me.”

“You’re parents are something else, you know.”

“Yup,” Toby agreed. “Welcome to my life.”

It was starting to rain lightly. He put his arm over Chris’s shoulder and guided him towards the apartment. “Come on, you survived.”

“I’ll never be able to look them in the eye again,” Chris muttered.

“Sure you will” Toby assured him. “In ten years or so.” He couldn’t hold back the next chortle. This time Chris elbowed him and cut him short before unlocking the front door to their walk up and ushering Toby inside. The smell of spices emanated from one of the lower floor suite and there was a baby crying somewhere and a TV playing too loud but with Chris there with him it felt like home.

Toby pulled Chris to him for one long kiss before they made their way up the two flights of stairs and then another one while Chris struggled to unlock their door. Once inside Toby pulled off his suit jacket and threw it over one of the two mismatched chairs in the kitchen. He turned back to Chris and noticed his demeanor had turned more serious. He took Toby’s hand and pulled him to sit down beside him on the couch. 

“What do you think? Really?” he asked nervously. “About me doing college?”

Toby thought about it. “I don’t know. Surprised a bit I guess. When did you think of that?”

“You’re mom and I talked about it a bit. Looked into it. It’s only a couple more years.”

“Why didn’t you say anything to me?” Toby couldn’t help but be a little hurt that he seemed to be late to be involved in this plan. 

Chris shrugged. “Wasn’t sure. I knew I couldn’t afford it.” He looked at Toby, “You know me. I’m not one for asking for handouts.”

“But you’re okay with this?”

“Only if it’s a loan, yeah. I guess.” He seemed torn. Toby knew only too well how difficult Chris would find it and took his hand.

Toby looked around the apartment. “I was looking forward to moving in here with you though.”

Chris looked around and laughed. “Toby, it’s a dump. And it’s in a shitty neighborhood. It’s not safe.”

“I don’t care,” Toby assured him. He didn’t. It wasn’t fancy but it was theirs and had everything they needed.

“Yeah. But I do. I want something nice for us,” he said blushing slightly as he said it.

Toby stared down at his feet. He wasn’t sure he knew this new Chris. The one who could graciously take help from his family and make solid career choices. The one making plans with his parents and not even keeping Toby in the loop. He felt as if he was on foreign ground.

Chris sensed his unease. “What’s wrong, Tobe? You don’t seem very happy about the idea. 

Toby looked at him helplessly. He wasn’t sure how to even articulate how he was feeling. A little adrift as if Chris had suddenly grown up and left him behind. He’d thought of himself as Chris’s protector for so long and now this graduation tonight and these plans had turned everything around.

“I feel like when you’re done all this you won’t need me anymore,” he finally told him surprised how hurt he sounded when the words came out.

“What? No, Toby. Never,” Chris looked aghast. “Why would you think that?”

Chris pulled him closer wrapping an arm around Toby’s neck to guide his head against his chest and Toby relaxed into the warm embrace. He shut his eyes and took some slow calming breathes trying to match his to those of his boyfriend.

Finally, “You’re the strongest person I know.” 

Chris’s chest shook when he snorted and Toby looked up. 

“No, you are. Making it on your own. You’ve worked so hard. Your job. School.”

He shut his eyes again and let out a long breath. “I’m just a loser preppie kid with rich parents. Never worked a day in my life. A drunk. My parents won’t even trust me to live on my own without screwing up. Again.”

Chris made a disapproving noise and nudged Toby with his shoulder.

“Look at me, Toby.” 

He waited until Toby had met his eyes. “You’re wrong there. You’re at the top of your law class for fuck sake. You’re smart and you care about people. You cared about me. And you believed in me when I thought you were crazy to. If I hadn’t met you I don’t know where I’d be now. Prison probably.”

Toby shook his head no but if pressed Toby would have to agree. It had been pretty close as it was. Chris still had another year to go before he could apply to have his juvenile record sealed. 

“I love you, Tobe. Sometimes I still look at you and wonder what you see in me.”

“Everything," Toby answered. "I love you too.”

“Whatever I want to do, I want to do for the both of us. So that everything’s good for the both of us. I want us to have a nice place one day. Not a dump like this. I want to be able to have your friends and your family over without being embarrassed of where we have to live.”

Chris paused for a second but before Toby could say anything he went on. “I talked to my boss at the shop. He’s going to keep my job for me. He’s been thinking of opening another shop downtown and he said that once I’m finished school he wants me to run it.”

“That’s great,” was all Toby could come up with. He’d obviously put some thought into this.

“I’ll be making good money then, Tobe. So, I mean, if you don’t want to work at your dad’s firm you won’t have to. You can do whatever you want.”

Toby sat back and looked at him. “Yeah?” 

That was something he’d not considered possible. He’d been picturing a long, grinding career doing corporate law under the watchful eye of his father and the partners. It wasn’t his preference but the money couldn’t be beat. He’d talked to Chris about doing pro bono work for the less advantaged but only as some sort of pie in the sky fantasy. 

“So you think I should work downtown at the courts? Be a public defender?” Toby smiled.

“Yeah. If that’s what you want to do. I want you to do whatever makes you happy. Not your parents,” Chris told him seriously. “I think all the losers like me deserve a smart lawyer to look out for them.”

“It’s terrible money,” Toby warned him. No one from Harvard law did that kind of work.

Chris shrugged. “Yeah. Well good thing I’ll be able to support you’re poor ass. I owe you that. We're a team."

Toby sat up and turned around towards Chris. He threw his leg across his lap so that he was facing Chris and settled down on his lap and pinning him back into the couch an arm on each side of his head. He leaned in and smiled into Chris’s blue eyes.

“You know what?” he said. He could feel Chris’s cock hard underneath him and squirmed around on it a little until Chris moaned.

“What?” Chris got out.

“I think you have too many clothes on.” With that Toby slid back so he could take hold of the sweater Chris had on and pull it up over his head. 

“God, I love you,” he said before leaning back in for a long kiss that left them both breathless. 

It still wasn’t enough for Toby. He had a lot of work to do to make it up to Chris for having to go to his graduation ceremony. He got his hands between them and made short work of the button and zipper of Chris’s pants and get his hands on his cock. He gave it a long stroke that make Chris buck his hips and kissed him again hard.

Chris pushed him back struggling and batting his hands away from his lap.

“Fuck. Stop it for a second Toby!” he gasped.

Toby paid no mind until Chris forcibly took his hands and pushed them away from his cock. Toby let out an exasperated huff and looked up at him. 

“What?”

“Just let me get your dad’s tie off, for fuck sake! Before I cum on it!”

Toby snorted. He guessed he could do that.


End file.
